The Domino Effect Thought Process

[MiNdLeSsMelody]

When an intrusive thought comes to your mind and triggers a million scenarios after. All surrounding the question "What if". For example: The intrusive thought of "Did I make sure I unplugged the computer?" After that first thought comes the millions of others like "What if I didn't? What if it catches fire and my house burns down and all my animals die and any family members in the house die too and I lose everything?" and so on and so forth. It deals with a lot of different scenarios. Just the domino effect of that one intrusive thought triggering a million others leading to the overwhelming anxiety and urge to do compulsions. Does anyone else deal with this domino effect-like thought process?

 

[Silvox Black]

I believe that this tends to be called the "vicious cycle" where a low mood state triggers depressive thought which in turn leads to a low mood state and so on and so forth. It is quite debilitating and we all suffer from it at some point. I myself have to face it each day, and it has been quite a burden as I have nothing to prevent such thoughts.

 

[getbornagain]

I absolutely experience the same effect. One question leads to another, to another and to another. It's typical OCD, over-analyzing everything. What therapists try to teach you at CBT is to just stop after the initial question, it's called the 'doubting disease' for good reason.

 

[dooby-duck]

Yes definitely. They start with an initial thought then snowball. I then search my memory to try and remember every detail of what I did, say locking a door. I try to remember it, because it's a task I do multiple times a day I have to try to remember a detail which tells me I locked it the last time. If I can't remember lots of thoughts come rushing in. I'd usually have to go back and check. It takes me a while to do because I have to get it straight in my head that I have locked it and checked it, and committed it to memory for later. That's why most of the door handles at my house are hanging off.